Ampere-hour meter



June 1 1926. 1,586,643

ca. F. BASON AMPERE HOUR METER Filed Nov. 28. 1923 Fig.2.

Wnusssras: INVENTOR wBY AT'TORNEY George E Bason.

Patented June 1,1926, it 7 UNI-TED ST 1AMPERE-HOUB. METER.

Application filed il'oveniber 28, 1923. Serial No. 677,563.

My invention relates to eleet'ricalmeasuring instrumentsand particularly to amperehour meters for alternating-current circuits. One object of my invention is to provide a 1neter or motor device comprising a rotary element and current-responsive means tending to cause the element to rotate in direct proportion to the, amperes of an alternatingcurrent circuit. 1

Another object of vide a device of the aboveindicated character that shall be simple and durablein construction, fective in its operation. 9 v

A further object of my invention is to pro- .vide an alternating-current ampere-hourfmeter that shall have a substantially straightline operation characteristic.

In practicing my invention, I provide a meter, similar to an ordinary induction mo tor meter, that is provided with a rotatable armature and actuating field magnet coils fore nergization" in accordance with the current of an alternating-current circuit. L

'A flux shiftingor, closedoircuit element is so mounted to turner fi'oatin the air gap v glZGCllll accordance with the alternating current of a circuit" to be measured,the armabetwcen the armature and its field magnet, against the action of a spring, as to cause the armature to rotate insubstantially direct proportion to the current of a circuit to be measured.

Figure 1 of the accompanyingdrawings is a front elevational view of an instrument embodying my-invention, a portion of the armature thereof being-broken away, and Fig. 2 is a detail view taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1. The instrument 1 comprises a 'supporting base structure'2, a bracket 3 mounted on the base structure 2,. a laminated magnetizable core member 4 secured to the bracketS, as by screws 5, and field magnet coils 6 mounted on the pole ends 7 ofthe magnetizable core member 4. A shafts, having a'worm-screw portion .9, for driving an integrating mechanism (not shown) is supported at its upper and lower ends by bearings 11 and 12 sup ported on the bracket 3 and the base member 2, respectively. p I

A damping disc 14 is mountedon the shaft 8, adjacent to the lower end of the latter and is adapted for co-operation' with a permanent magnet 15 that may be slec'ured'to' the base structure 2, as by a screw 16, y B An armature 18', of -aluminum or other suitable material, is of substantially inverted my invention is to pro-j economical to manufacture and er;

cup shape havingan upper co llarorfiange 19 by which it may be rigidly secured, as

by a screw 20, to the shaft 8 with its vertical sides adapted to rotate between thepole ends 7 of the core member 4. c

A laminated member .22 ls'ri'gidly secured 8 passes freelythrough the member 22, p

A flux-shifting member 23,"preterably of -in position concentric with the armature 18 to conduct the fluxfrom one pole end to the other, through the armature 18'. The shaft] copper strap or sheet material, is constructed in the form of a rectangle having portions 24 opposite the pole ends 7 and openings 25, therein to form a close-circuited conducting turn around one side of the pole face.

The member 23, is adjustably clamped,

by-nuts 27,to a screw-bearing shaft 28 having its hollow lower end 29 mountedtopivot around the upper end of a pin projection 30 on the bearing member 11.

"A helical spring 32 is secured, at its inner end, to, the shaft 28, and, at its outer end to a member 33 that 1s mounted, as by screws 34, to the pin projection 30.

In operation, when the coils hare enertate. The driving torque producing this ro-I tation of the armature would,1or a given fixed position of the member 23,,be proportional. to the square of the current being measured; but, with increase of current in the coils 6, the portions, or shading coils 24,

tend to move out of the magnetic field, as indicated by dottedllines in Fig. 2, and are brought {to rest by the action of the spring 32 in anew position where they produce less 'shading of the field. l TllllS, the driving torque on the armature will always beless than proportional to the square of the current being measured.

By the proper choice of theaero position usual permanent magnetic braking, as effected by the magnet-15 on thedisc 14, the speed ofrotation Qf'tll armature 18thus becomes substantially current in the cells a proportional the \Vhile I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein Without departing fromthe spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An alternating-current integrating meter comprising a rotatable armature having a fixed axis of rotation, a series coil for oroducin the actuatin flux therefor and a movable flux-affecting member for causing the same to be actuated substantially in direct proportion to the current of a circuit.

2. An alterating-current integrating meter comprising a rotatable member controlled by magnetic flux and having a fixed axis of rotation and movable means for varying the magnetic flux to cause the member to retate substantially in direct proportion to the current 01 "a circuit.

3. An altemating-current integrating meter comprising a rotatable member having a tired axis of rotation and means for rotating the same including movable means tending to cause the member to rotate substantially in direct proportion to the current of a circuit.

al. An alternating-current integrating meter comprising a rotatable armature having a fixed axis of rotation and electrically-controlled means including a movable flux-atfecting' member for actuating the same substantially in direct proportion to the current of a circuit.

5. An alternating-current integrating meter comprising a flux-responsive movable member and flux-shifting means including a member movable indepei'idently of said first movable member for actuating the same substantially in direct proportion to the current of a circuit.

6. An alternating-current-circuit integrating meter comprising a rotatable armature having a fixed r-zis of rotation, a coil encrgized from said circuit for producing aetuating flux for the armature and means, including a movable flux-affecting member, for causing the armature to be actuated substantially in direct proportion to the current in said coil.

7. An altermiting-current ampere-hour meter con'iprising a rotatable armature having a fixed axis of rotation, a field magnet therefor, a spring, a flux-shifting member mounted to float in the magnetic field be tween the armature and the i'nagnet against the action oi said spring and means for producing a breaking torque in direct proportion to the speed of the armature.

S. An alte:nating-current ampere-hour meter comprising a rotatable armature having a fixed axis of rotation, a field magnet therefor, a resilient member, a flux-shifting member mounted to turn in the magnetic field between the armature and the magnet against the action of the resilient member,

and means for producing a braking torque in direct proportion to the speed of the armature.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of November 1928.

GEORGE F. BASON. 

